Embu County Speaker's election hangs in the balance over violation of court order

Josiah Thiriku has retained his seat as the Speaker of the County Assembly of Embu after he shook off stiff competition from seasoned lawyer Daniel Kamunde, by getting 26 votes against Kamunde's three votes in the first round of elections.

His election hangs in the balance after it went ahead despite a court order seeking that he (Thiriku) be barred from contesting the seat until the case is heard and determined.

On Tuesday, James Gitonga served the assembly with court orders issued by Embu High Court Judge Lucy Njuguna, temporarily barring Thiriku’s name from being included on ballot papers and restricting the Clerk or any agents acting for the county assembly from presenting his name for elections.

According to Assembly Clerk Jim Kauma, the contest had initially attracted four candidates who picked the nomination papers from his office.

He however records that by Sunday, only two candidates returned their papers as required by the law.

Prior to the voting exercise, the clerk presided over the swearing-in of the elected and nominated MCAs where 30 MCAs took the oath of office comprising 20 elected and 10 nominated.

Giving his maiden speech after being sworn in, Thiriku said he understands the huge responsibility he has to undertake in leading the assembly.

"I look forward to a robust and composed assembly where we will have motions aimed at benefiting the locals," added Thiriku.

Given that the assembly will play oversight on the county government, Thiriku said he will be impartial in executing his mandate while upholding the rule of law.

He at the same time belittled the existence of the court order saying that he was not informed of any court directives and that had he been served with the orders, the assembly would have honoured it.

After his elections, Thiriku supervised the election of his deputy with Kirimari Ward MCA Ibrahim Swale elected unopposed after which an oath of office was administered.

Swale who made a comeback in the August Polls was the Deputy Speaker in the first assembly before he lost his ward seat to Nyaga Muchiri Collo.

In Embu, only two MCAs have served in all three terms consecutively since 2013; Muminji Ward's Newton Kariuki who is also a renowned Benga musician and Gaturi North MCA Paul Muchangi.

Thiriku has ordered the two main coalitions at the county assembly to hasten and forward the names of the house leadership so as to enable him to constitute the two main committees which will result in the formation of the other committees.